Chapter 63: A True Anima
The cloud of dust began to settle slowly.
At first, all the group could see was a massive silhouette standing amidst the haze. It was a looming outline of something that seemed far too large to belong to any living thing...
Then the dust thinned and the thing revealed itself. Seeing it, their reactions were immediate...
Hearts hammered violently against ribs, breathing came out in shallow pants, and instincts screamed repeatedly like the warnings of a city moments before its impending doom.
The four of them stood frozen on the spot; not because they wanted to, but because every fiber of their being was telling them that moving carelessly before this monster was the fastest way to death.
The creature stood face-to-face with them... Well, face-to-face would be the wrong way to describe the situation as the thing literally towered above them...
One would think that spending two days within the Crimson Forest, fighting Wights, surviving the Breeding Nest, and battling against monstrous aberrations would have made them somewhat resistant to fear... But they were wrong. Terribly wrong.
This thing wasn’t ordinary; in fact, it was unlike anything they had encountered before in the Nether Lands.
The predator resembled a sabertooth tiger, yet describing it as one felt almost insulting...
It’s body stretched nearly four times the length of an ordinary specimen, transforming what should have been a feline predator into something resembling a living siege engine.
Standing on all fours, it’s shoulders rose almost three times the height of an average man. Every of it’s movement carried immense weight, and every step taken radiated overwhelming power.
The ancient marble floor groaned beneath it’s presence while fresh cracks would spread beneath it’s paws whenever it shifted it’s weight...
The massive hunter possessed the muscular frame of a sabertooth which includes the broad shoulders, powerful limbs, and towering forequarters.
It’s paws alone were larger than a man’s chest with each digit ending in a curved claws that resembled ivory sword.
Two enormous fangs protruded from it’s upper jaw, extending far beyond the lower one. They gleamed beneath the crimson light filtering through the shattered ceiling like the scythe of a grim reaper...
Yet, what truly made the monster appear regal and fearsome was the mane surrounding it’s neck. Unlike a normal tiger, a magnificent lion-like mane framed the creature’s head, neck, and shoulders.
The thick mass of fur cascaded down it’s chest and upper back like a royal cloak worn by a king; one that is born to ruke through violence and blood...
Covering much of the beast’s body were overlapping metallic scales. The armoured plates shimmered beneath the crimson illumination pouring through the ruined temple.
These scales clustered around vital regions which include it’s neck, chest, spine, and limbs. Also, between those armoured sections remained visible patches of striped fur, which created a bizarre fusion between mammalian and reptilian traits.
The combination was unnatural, causing the creature to appear like something caught between a beast and a dragon...
However, the most unsettling of all would be the creature’s eyes; they were bright, amber, and awake.
There was intelligence within those glowing orbs; this was not the intelligence of an animal acting upon instinct, instead, it was different... And deeper...
It’s gaze carried awareness, thought, and reason. It felt less like looking at a beast and more like staring into the eyes of something that could understand exactly what it was seeing.
An invisible pressure rolled outward from it’s body immediately it stopped. The sensation washed through the hall like an incoming tide; it was heavy, oppressive, and overwhelming...
Kaeloris immediately felt his legs turn to jelly as his breathing became difficult. The failed Gnost could literally feel his heart trying to claw it’s way out of his chest...
At this point, Valmyr’s hands were already trembling from how hard he was clutching his Soul Essences like a man whose life depends on them...
Even the failed Pyromancer found himself unconsciously taking a step backward. His throat bobbed as he stared in horror at the terror standing before them...
Even Regaleon was exempted. The silver-haired Knight’s expression remained controlled and yet, his golden eyes had narrowed significantly...
His grip around the Halberd tightened ever so slightly as he observed the beast. Sure, he had expected danger as he knew that whatever could drag the Drake across such distance had to be powerful...
And so, he had also expected something powerful, but this... This wasn’t simply powerful, this was a genuine Rank One Anima.
Unlike the grotesque monstrosities from the Breeding Nest which had been artificially created and twisted beyond recognition, this one was a true Anima...
A naturally evolved apex predator. A creature that had survived within the Crimson Forest long enough to become an undisputed ruler of it’s own territory...
In other words... This thing could truly kill them...
For several seconds, neither side moved and instantly, the ruined temple fell into silence. Even the wind seemed to have stopped, as if the atmosphere itself was holding its breath.
Then something unexpected happened...
The enormous predator tilted it’s head ever so slightly and it’s massive brows furrowed. Those amber eyes narrowed as they studied the four humans standing within the hall with something unmistakable lingering within it’s gaze..
It was confusion, as though the creature was trying to understand why there would suddenly be humans standing in it’s territory.
The giant feline didn’t attack immediately. Instead, it’s slowly surveyed the ruined sanctuary. It’s gaze swept across broken pillars, collapsed walls, the ruined altar, and then... It’s eyes landed upon the remains of the Drake.
The monster froze... And instantly, the atmosphere changed. The confusion in it’s eyes vanished as it focused upon the carcass...
Then it’s eyes shifted toward the four Awakeners... And back to the corpse... Then back to the intruders once more...
The predator’s gaze sharpened; it was thinking... Processing... Analyzing...
And unfortunately, whatever conclusion it reached did not seem favourable. Suspicion appeared in it’s amber eyes first... Then irritation... And then, irritation became anger...
The giant hunter stared at the mangled Drake and thought; the meal it had dragged all the way back here with effort, the food it intended to enjoy in peace, and now, there were humans standing around it...
The humans were standing suspiciously close to it’s food, and in it’s own home no less... The conclusion it reached was outrageous, but from it’s perspective, it was completely logical...
These humans were thieved; scavengers attempting to steal it’s meal, and the moment it realized that, a low growl escaped the feline’s throat...
The sound wasn’t loud, and yet it reverberated throughout the temple...
The quartet felt chills crawl down their spines, as though death itself had suddenly noticed their existence.
Then another growl escaped the creature’s mouth; this time, it was deeper. Afterward, the giant predator took a single step forward...
CRACK!
Fresh fractures spread across the marble as it stopped; it’s muscles tensed beneath scales and fur while it’s mane rippled. It’s shoulders lowered slightly...
The temperature within the hall seemed to plummet and instantly, every instinct screamed danger. Then...
ROAR!!!!!
The roar erupted like a volcanic explosion as a visible shockwave blasted across the chamber...
The wind exploded outward and ancient pillars that had survived centuries of decay finally collapsed...
The four nearly lost their footing as the roar struck them like a physical force...
Eventually, the sound faded and silence returned. But now, the atmosphere had completely changed...
The confusion from earlier was gone and in its place was fury... And murder. Now, the feline’s hostility was unmistakable...
The giant predator lowered it’s body further; muscles coiled beneath scales and fur as they prepared to launch... But before it could move...
Regaleon suddenly exploded forward without hesitation. Like a golden meteor crossing the battlefield, the silver-haired Knight shot toward the Anima...
"Silver Sheen" activated instantly as a brilliant metallic radiance coated his Halberd. The weapon sliced through the air as he accelerated...
Distance vanished rapidly as he moved; twenty meters became ten... Ten became five...
The Forgotten Knight surged forward with everything he had in him. The blade of his Soul Essence gleamed ominously as a deadly arc began forming...
One more step... Just one more heartbeat... Then...
The giant predator casually raised a paw and as though swatting away an annoying insect, it swiped unhurriedly...
BOOM!
The impact echoed throughout the temple and Regaleon’s charge ended instantly...
The silver-haired Knight disappeared from his original position and transformed into a golden blur flying across the hall.
His body smashed through the air before crashing heavily into a ruined marble pillar. Dust and rubble erupted outward as the pillar toppled onto marbled floor...
The hall fell silent instantly; and within that silent, every member of the group realized the same terrifying truth. The battle had barely begun and yet, the Forgotten Knight had already been sent flying like a ragdoll...
